Infected
by Predominantly Normal
Summary: There is a disease called Pokérus. It contracts anyone or anything, and the infected experience rapid growth that may be dangerous if left untreated. Four relatives have been infected with the disease, and they must journey to the ends of the earth to find the cure. Or lose their mortality completely. Just for fun!
1. Introduction

**I DO NOT OWN POKEMON**

**This is a fic my cousins asked of me, since they're all moderately into the fandom. This is my first Pokemon Fanfiction and all the characters are most certainly NOT cannon. Please tell me what you think! The Point of View will change every few chapters, so make sure you pay attention!**

* * *

_Michael's Point of View_

I am not a person that anyone would describe as 'paranoid' or 'nervous'. Usually, the confidence I radiate is pretty substantial; almost to the point of arrogance. I have the whole 'California Style' thing down to my athletic personality and my dusty blonde hair. It's a blessing to be me; I know. So back on the topic at hand. Nerves. I've faced these things before, like before Tryouts or during exams, but never have I been edgy because I feel full-out paranoia.

I sat at the dining table, half-heartedly chewing up Cheerios. I still hadn't adjusted to the morning, and my eyes dropped and opened lazily. Neither my brother nor sister would ever decide to wake up in these early hours of the morning, choosing rather to rush last-minute style. I gazed loftily out of the clear sliding door that lead to the backyard. Something yellowish darted past my vision, streaking through the grassy outside. I rubbed my eyes in confusion, standing up and peering out the window.

Brown eyes scanned the patio and grass, searching for any misdemeanor that could've passed as the yellow streak. Finding nothing, I figured it was just morning daze. I sighed, returning to my position at the table and finishing off my cereal with the small challenge of getting those last three pieces on the spoon. By time I'd finished, I'd assume my two siblings had awakened, as apparent by the clambering sound of their footsteps. I stood up, walking to wash my plate. Settling my plastic cereal plate in the sink, I glanced out of the window above the appliance.

Beady black eyes stared back at me from above an amber tinted beak. Brown feathers accentuated it's small body, with lighter ones lighting the bird's stomach and crest. I'd never seen a bird like that around where I live, it was large, around one foot in size, and had deep red talons and legs. With narrowed eyes, I leaned forward to closer inspect him. The bird cocked his head, twitching back into place before squawking and fluttering off.

Strange enough, however, I almost think I heard it say something as it flew off. 'Pigeon' or something like that.

"What are you staring at?" A voice muttered behind me with a hint of annoyance. I turned around, to come face-to-face with a slightly confused sister.

She looked like her hair and clothes were the last thing on her mind, which in itself was strange. Blonde hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, rolling loftily over her left shoulder. Hazel eyes were aiming at the cupboards as she walked to retrieve some of the pop-tarts they'd bought only days ago.

"I just seen the weirdest bird." I muttered twisting my neck to find it again. "Katie, I swear, it was like, as big as my arm." This was emphasized by holding my arm out.

"Mm." She hummed, obviously not interested. "Was it a falcon?" She inquired, tearing apart the wrapper of a double-fudge pop-tart and effectively getting crumbs everywhere.

"No, I don't think so." I mumbled, frowning in thought. "It was like a gigantic... I don't even know."

"Oh." She said, choosing to not care.

Decidedly figuring that she wouldn't care either way, I settled by the television. The sound of feet tapping down the stairs alerted me of the other of my younger siblings. Without directing my view from the bright colors on the screen, I waved a greeting. "Hey, Nicky."

I hadn't turned to look, but instantly knew that he'd nodded in response. Nicky wasn't a morning person until he'd had his fill of sugar. I heard him rustle through the cabinet, snatching a granola bar before shuffling over to meet me at the couch. We usually didn't eat anywhere else besides the table, but Mom wasn't up until a bit later and Dad was already driving towards the Highschool to teach.

At a simple glance, you could easily tell me and Nick were brothers. We had the same angular chin, brown eyes, and sandy blonde hair. But where mine was straight, his curled in every which way. He was a thin kid due to being vegetarian, and several years younger than me. He seemed to be even more tired than he usually was, with sunken in eyes and light bruises under them that made it appear as if he hasn't slept for the last week or so.

"Didn't sleep well?" I asked, glancing at him.

Nicky shook his head. "I slept fine." Was his reply.

I sighed visibly, knowing he wouldn't want to take the conversation further. My bus was going to pick me up anyways. Snatching my bookbag, I stumbled out the door and frowned at the lack of balance in my step. Something so small yet sticking out like a sore thumb, it bothered me much more than it should. Everyone was off today. Stepping to the bus stop directly outside my house, I waited for the yellow machine to pull up.

Time was escaping me, and I couldn't tell the difference between standing outside on the second-last day of school and sitting in my home room class. It seemed to slip by, blurring to the point of indistinguishable phases of the day. Role call went without the pointless chatter I usually engaged in with my friends.

The kid adjacent behind me tapped on my shoulder. He had been here since the beginning of the third quarter, and had taken it up that we were best friends or something. I honestly didn't have a problem with him, but he was rather annoying. I twisted around, locking eyes.

He was a skinny kid who was so pale, it was obvious he didn't get too much sun. He had long awkward limbs and thin, hunched shoulders. Dark ebony hair swept to one side of his rounded face, and stormy gray eyes accentuated his high cheekbones. I'm eighty-percent sure he wears guy-liner. All of his features were upturned and foxlike, something that unnerved me greatly.

"Are you excited for the end of school?" He asked, a sly childish voice not at all matching his appearance.

"Yeah." I replied, smiling awkwardly.

I twisted my head to glance out the window, something I hadn't even taken to before this day. My eyes nearly popped right out of my skull at the sight.

A furry yellow mouse darted around the pavement. Except it was as big as the aforementioned bird. Brown stripes ran horizontally across its back and at the tip of its oddly jagged tail. Red circles were prominent on its cheeks. Ears were pointed and strangely large, with black tips. It looked quite familiar, but also not at all. It was the strangest case of Deja vu. Blue tongues of electricity, or what I assumed to electricity, danced around those red dots.

"Michael, might I ask what you're looking at?" I heard a voice announce. Turning around, I seem my teacher with a rather incredulous look masking his face.

"It's a Pikachu." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. It was odd how those absurd words sounded like they were in perfectly correct context. I glanced back, narrowing my eyes at the yellow beast.

Realization hit me, as I realized where that sense of déjà vu originated. This was a fictional character, from a fictional game. Problem being he was real, and fictional usually meant fake. The teacher gave me a concerned glance, and looked out the window. He must have not seen the yellow creature with sparks flying from his cheeks (Although, how someone could miss that was beyond me), because he simply shook his head.

"Michael, are you feeling alright?" He asked, voice laden with worry. There were deep creases in his forehead, and a heavy frown on his lips.

"Yeah." I replied, rubbing my eyes nervously. The Pokemon was still there, head slightly tilted. "I'm... Fine." I muttered, unsure on whether I really was in fact, fine.

You see, the word fine by definition is in good health, and feeling well. There are several other alternate definitions, but for the sake of it I'll disregard those. I did not feel well by any means. For starters I think I'm seeing things due to a lack of sleep (Which is a perfectly logical answer, and thus my choice). There's a pit in my stomach that's been egging me since I woke this morning, and it's only getting heavier. The worst, however is the feeling that someone is watching me. I can literally feel eyes scrutinize me and search my exterior.

"You don't look well." The teacher voiced honestly. "I think I'm going to send you home for the day, alright?"

I quickly weighed my options and decided that staying home one day certainly wouldn't hurt. My parents would understand. I nodded weakly, collecting my things and heading out the home room door with a written pass. The feeling that someone was stalking me grew exponentially on the short walk home. The school system wouldn't let me take a bus and Mom was held up with some business in another state, to which she left earlier this morning.

So thanks to the educational budget I was sickly walking home in the blistering heat. Wonderful. The feeling that someone was stalking me was still there, and I turned around to check. Standing and advancing at an unbelievable speed was Zachary. Long legs carried him at inhuman speeds, catapulting towards me. And so I ran.


	2. Real as You Make it Out to be

**I DO NOT OWN POKEMON**

**(A/N; I have an excuse for this being so short in ratio to the timespan inbetween updates. See, I'm actually just trying to finish this so my cousins can read it so my whole life has been craning over writing this. I already have up to chapter seven drafted and ready for revision, but I'm lazy, so here's chapter two. I am such a cool cousin, no?)**

* * *

Outrunning this kid was much more difficult than I had originally expected. Adrenaline filled my veins as I catapulted through the neighborhood complex. My heart beat like wild in my rib cage as my feet pounded against the ground. The brown brick of my estate loomed into my hazy view, and I dashed towards it.

With speed I wasn't aware of possessing, I managed to open the garage and close it in the same beat. I stepped inside the house, slamming the door shut. The sound resonated through the empty household, and I sighed heavily. Kicking off my shoes, I walked briskly to the living room to watch something on television.

"Miss me?" A familiar voice asked. I whipped around, eyes wide.

Zachary stood in the living room, a large bird clutching to his shoulder. The bird was fairly familiar, head twisting rapidly to view the indoor surroundings. It opened it's beak and cried out loudly. The sound was much clearer without the glass barrier, and I could easily make out a disgruntled coo that sounded something along the lines of 'Pidgey'. Zachary grinned at my arrival, and my hand subconsciously edged closer to the handset phone.

"No." I said, voice unbreaking despite internally panicking. "And what the hell is that?" I pointed to the bird incredulously.

Zachary frowned, shaking his head. "Shame you don't remember." He muttered.

"Remember what?" My voice shook with nerves, and my muscles tensed in alarm. Why am I negotiating with him?

"His name is Rodriguez, and he's a fairly experienced Pidgey." Zachary introduced. Upon hearing his name, Rodriguez cooed loudly, edging closer to his what I assumed to be master.

I was to astonished at the fact that a live Pidgey, a Fictional character, was in my living room. "No way." I mumbled softly. The bird ruffled his feathers in content. "I'm totally losing it."

"Afraid not." Zachary smiled. "You see here is a living Pokémon." The raven-haired boy lifted his arm and the bird extended his wings, flapping them in a rushed manner. He easily took off into the air, gliding over towards me. I tried ducking, but those talons dug into my shoulder.

Wincing, I replied. "So this is real?"

"As real as you're making it out to be." Zachary grinned, calling his bird back. The creature released my shoulder, and I rubbed the irritated skin. With narrowed eyes, he spoke clearly. "Anyways, we should go."

"What? Go where?" I asked quickly, eyebrows knitting.

"To the Pokémon research center in this sector." Zachary explained calmly, crossing his arms.

"And I would follow you why?" I asked angrily at the nerve this kid possessed.

The pale boy smiled. "I knew you'd ask that, and I've already taken the liberty of holding your brother and sister hostage to speed things along." He grinned widely, "considerate, no?"

My mouth fell ajar, and my stomach tightened painfully. Hands clenched into fists and I leaned back into the wall for leverage. I'd only talked to Nicky and Katie less than three hours ago. He must be bluffing. I searched his eyes for any sign of such possibilities, an ability I'd honed from numerous amounts of hours playing poker and other various card games. Usually, however, I was the one being searched. The sudden turn of tables made me uneasy.

My face hardened to a scowl that would hopefully mask the inner-conflict I was dealing with. A frown etched in my features, and I attempted to look far more intimidating than I felt. Rolling my shoulders back, I eased into the familiar confidence I usually had. "Liar." I said, voice strained from effort.

"I'd never lie about something so precious to you." He said sweetly, eyes half-lidded in a sly knowing expression. "In fact, why don't you call them right now?"

I nodded, fumbling with the wireless phone on the small table to my right. My toes curled in anxiety, burying themselves in the shag carpet. Dialing the number of Katie robotically, I pressed the earpiece to my head. The dial tone echoed twice, before I heard static and a garbled, "Hello?"

"Katie?" I questioned.

"Michael?" She asked back. I could hear that she was uptight, her usually looser voice curt and short in response.

"Yeah. Hey, are you alright? You're at school?" I asked for confirmation quickly.

"Not exactly, Mike. If I was at school do you think I would've been able to answer your call?" She laughed nervously and let out a short huff.

"Sorry." I apologized, not in the mood for kicks. "Then where are you?"

"Under Lake Eerie with Nick." She explained.

"What?" My voice cracked, and on any other occasion I would have found it hilarious or at the very least, embarrassing.

Katie let out a long, audible sigh. "Just go with Zorua, okay?"

"Zorua?" I quizzed, feeling my knees start to buckle with exhaustion. My younger sister and brother really were being held hostage!

"Zorua, Zachary, whatever he decides to call himself." Katie replied. "I've got to go; cellphone usage affects the technology." She added.

I nodded slowly, not even managing to say a goodbye before she ended the conversation. Zachary looked at me expectantly. I steeled my face into a determined scowl.

"Don't use that face." He rolled his eyes. "I get it; you're gonna be the hero. Let's go, tough guy." He said this like it was protocol, said many of times before.

I softened my features, nodding. I needed to save my siblings, and that was the only thing I had to worry about.

Which in reality was an awful lot in itself.


	3. I'm the Hero! Right?

**I DO NOT OWN POKEMON**

**(A/N; I AM THE GUITAR HERO.) **

* * *

I glanced out the window at the rapidly moving landscape. Zachary had managed a jet black Ferrari, something I was stoked about riding until I remembered my mission. What amazed me was that he was even old enough to drive. Lanky legs and a straight posture indicated he was tall enough, and his features could pass as sixteen if you stretched the truth.

Besides that, I was contemplating the conversation I had engaged in with Katie. She had been incredibly vague, if not completely. What technology would've been affected by a cellular signal? Unless she was on some plane? And she had referred Zachary to an odd name; Zorua, I believe. It was familiar, like I'd heard it somewhere before.

"You're rather quiet." Zachary said calmly, eyes still focused on the road.

I frowned. "I didn't realize I needed to converse with you." I snapped.

"I suppose you don't." Zachary/Zorua shrugged. His hand brushed through a lock of raven hair. "But it wouldn't hurt for you to act civil."

"Fine." I growled, anger evident in voice. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course!" Zachary seemed overly joyed to answer my question.

"Why is it that nobody else notices them? The Pokémon, I mean." I questioned, eyes darting to the Pidgey fluttering his wings in the backseat. Rodriguez seemed to like me, at the very least.

"That's a very good question." He said, astonished.

"How do you mean?" My eyebrows raised. Zachary laughed weakly, turning a corner.

"Well," he said breathlessly, "You hero-types aren't usually all that smart. I was thinking you'd ask something along the lines of where I got this sick ride." He gestured towards the dash board.

I flushed in embarrassment and frowned. That actually was my next question.

"Anyways, these creatures we register as Pokémon are very good at blending in. People need very advanced eyesight to even see the refractions they create. You are able to see them because you have this kind of eyesight." Zachary explained, rambling on about how the cataracts of the eyes must bend only slightly to detect the reflections and refractions that create the images. It was far to much science for me to care about delving into.

"And, um- where did you get this ride?" I scratched the back of my neck. Zachary chuckled, patting me on the shoulder. I smacked his hand away, still a trace of smile lighting my features.

"If you must know, it comes from the research funding." Zachary expounded. "The Pelliper express shipped it in yesterday."

"O-oh." I stuttered, awkwardly clasping and unclasping my hands. I wish I could understand this more. Zachary seemed so savvy, I envied him momentarily. That is, until I realized he didn't have the hairstyle.

We swerved into the city of Cleveland, driving in line with the rest of the bustling cars. Smokestacks billowed into the sky, turning it a musty gray. Buildings towered into the air, looming past the view from the car windows. "Why here?" I asked blankly, viewing the none-too-pretty landscape and gothic architecture.

Zachary chuckled. "Why not?" Briefly, he slowed down to and gestured towards the dismal cityscape. "The place's atmosphere practically does the camouflage work for us."

"You mean the pollution." I replied, not so much a question as a rhetorical statement.

"Unfortunately, yes. It interferes with radio waves, so nobody picks up the activity from our technology." He explained. With a sharp turn, he began heading in the direction of the Eerie.

"And Lake Eerie's pollution?" I asked dully, staring at the greenish color of the unhealthy lake.

"I'll admit; Manhattan's sewer system works just as well, but it smells worse. Besides, Area Fifty-One finished looking for the Eerie mutants long ago." Zachary explicated, his eyes narrowing on the horizon. The late afternoon sun beat down on the waterside, and it reflected on the surface. "On the other hand, they're looking for the effects of radiative substances on turtles down in New York."

"Like Ninja Turtles?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yep."

"And you're talking about Area Fifty-One?" I added to my questionnaire.

"Uh-huh."

I nodded, allowing the information to sink in. For the hours of my life, this was a small revelation by comparison. The car cruised by the lake, inspecting a point that might be accessible. After a small while of driving, the car took a sharp left turn. I yelped as we toppled over jagged rocks into the dark waters of the Eerie. The car sunk down, deeper and deeper with the lights slowly dimming. Breathing became ragged and panicked as I clawed the roof of the car.

"Cool it." Zachary ordered, laying back as the car sank.

Suddenly, water began draining from all angles. White froth and disgusting looking residue remained, clinging to transparent walls and the sides of the vehicle. It was a shame that someone would have to wash this after it looked so sharp only seconds ago. Zachary opened his door, telling me calmly to follow.

The area we stood in was like a long parking garage. Valets nodded us off, taking the car and parking it somewhere further down. From the inside, I could see the rest of the murky lake. Fish swam lazily nearby, brushing up against the glass. The corridors were well-lit, leaving me to believe this place was impossible to miss.

"One-way glass." Zachary explained. I shot him an incredulous look before huffing in response.

After we had left the landing location, we entered a large room. Pokémon of all sorts roamed around, accompanying other kids. Without the cartoonish front, they looked an awful lot different, if not completely unrecognizable. Fur was more prominent, eyes beadier, claws and ears chipped and dirty. The other teenagers ranged in age, from six to what I assumed to be twenty. They all looked rather fidgety and restless, too.

Zachary lead me into another room. All of them had the same layout, white tiled floors and light blue walls. This room had a large computer in it, which scrolled past information at rates that would make reading them impossible. Contraptions in the back reacted to eggs in incubation cells, wires hooked up that revealed several bits of information. Perhaps this is the technology Katie had mentioned?

Speaking of which, I spotted my siblings very not tied up and rather safe looking. Both were talking wildly with a familiar looking girl. Dark hair was tied up in a ponytail, held back with a comical Pokéball hat. Ironic. Charcoal eyes darted and met mine, making me grin. She released a toothy smile and trotted forward.

"Hey there, Mike!" My cousin adjusted her hat, smirking. "Welcome to the party!"

"Why're you here, Hallie?" I questioned. It seemed racially correct for an Asian to be associating with a Japanese franchise.

"I'm not quite sure; Zorua said he'd explain it to us after the whole gang arrived." She shrugged and turned around, retreating to the booth she and my siblings had been occupied with per my arrival.

"That's what all of you call Zachary, yeah?" I quizzed.

"That's what most everyone calls me." A small gray dog leaped up on the booth table. It had a small, petite nose with wide, foxlike features. Round icy blue eyes glittered with a familiar shine. Red flakes accentuated the creature's fur, lining the tips of the tail and ears.

"You're Zorua?" I asked.

"Yep!" Zorua chuckled, sitting and wrapping his tail around his forepaws.

"Where's Zachary then?" I tilted my head, disregarding the look my siblings and cousin shared.

Zorua himself sighed deeply, chest heaving. He closed his brilliant eyes, slowly changing. Legs lengthened, turning into arms and human legs. Zorua's chest widened and elongated, forming the abdomen. A more defined neck and face stared at me with a sly smirk. "I'm Zachary." Zorua announced, before quickly changing back into a Pokémon.

"I... I think I understand now." I nodded.

"Good." Zachary cooed. "Because you're not likely to understand anything else from here."


End file.
